Best Sweet Potato Salad

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This sweet potato salad is simple to make, but it’s bursting with vibrant flavors and colors! It features Southwest ingredients like beans, chipotle powder, jalapeños, corn, and lime. Serve this healthy and filling dish for summer barbecues, potlucks, or a light weeknight meal.

Table of Contents

🧡 Why you’ll love this recipe

Quick: All you need is about 30 minutes to make this hearty and satisfying salad.
Easy: Once you cook the potatoes, just mix everything together in a bowl. How simple is that?!
Healthy: Sweet potato salad is loaded with plant-based protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals. You won’t have any issues hitting all your daily nutrition targets!
Versatile: Swap in or out any ingredients you’d like. This recipe is great for using up leftovers from the fridge, and it’s so easy to customize.

If you love roasted sweet potato salad, you should really check out our West African peanut stew, Mexican potato salad, air fryer sweet potatoes, or stewed potatoes.

🍠 Easy sweet potato salad

This sweet potato salad is a light and refreshing take on traditional potato salad. It’s made with roasted sweet potatoes, black beans, fresh vegetables, and a zesty vinaigrette. It’s incredibly bold, spicy, tangy, and vibrant!

We prefer to use roasted potatoes as they lend a creamy texture without becoming mushy. The contrast of creamy sweet potatoes with crisp vegetables and tender black beans is out of this world!

The dressing starts with an olive oil base instead of mayo, and it’s seasoned with spices like chili and chipotle powder, garlic, maple syrup, and both lime juice and zest. The flavors are sweet, smoky, and spicy without weighing you down like mayo-based sauce.

Bring this dish to a potluck or backyard barbecue to pair with burgers, sandwiches, or grilled proteins. You can also enjoy it as a standalone meal for lunch or dinner!

🌱 Is sweet potato salad vegan?

There are so many variations of sweet potato salad, so it can easily be a vegan-friendly recipe! Many traditional recipes contain dairy products in the sauce or add ingredients like bacon or other meat.

In this recipe, we’ve kept it plant-based by using black beans as the protein source and an oil-based dressing. Don’t worry though, it still tastes incredible!

Sweet potato, cilantro, garlic, chili, chipotle, beans, red onion, bell pepper, jalapeño, lime, pumpkin seeds, and corn. — Fresh ingredients make a world of difference

🛒 Ingredients & substitutions

Sweet potatoes: Use any orange-skinned sweet potato variety for a creamy, buttery, and sweet flavor. The best options include Garnet, Jewel, or Heirloom.
Olive oil: To roast the sweet potatoes and for the dressing. We prefer olive oil, but you can always use another option like avocado oil or canola oil.
Black beans: Add creamy, hearty, and earthy flavors that pair well with sweet potatoes. Canned or home-cooked black beans are both good options. You can also substitute them with pinto beans, kidney beans, or chickpeas.
Red onion: Provides a pungent savory flavor. If you don’t have red onion, replace them with shallots, white onion, or yellow onion instead.
Bell pepper: We use red bell pepper, but any color is delicious! Try yellow, orange, green, or a mix of them all.
Jalapeño: Adds just the right amount of spice. If you’re a real spice lover, leave the seeds in or use serranos.
Corn: Add fresh or frozen corn kernels for bursts of sweet and juicy flavors all throughout the salad.
Pumpkin seeds: For an extra crunch! Use pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, or any other type of seeds you enjoy.
Cilantro: Fresh cilantro imparts bright, herbaceous, and lemony notes. Not a fan of this herb? Use parsley, dill, or basil instead.
Lime: Add both lime juice and zest for a bright, citrusy, and fresh dressing element. You can also use lemon juice for a similar flavor.
Maple syrup: Balances out the spice and tang of the other ingredients. You can also use agave or coconut nectar.
Seasonings: Our seasoning combination of choice is freshly minced garlic, chili powder, chipotle powder salt, and pepper.

For a complete ingredient list and step-by-step guide, scroll down to our recipe card.

📝 How to make roasted sweet potato salad

Step 1: Roast the sweet potatoes

Cube the sweet potato into small chunks and spread them out evenly on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Toss them with some olive oil and add a pinch of salt and pepper. Roast the sweet potato cubes at 400 degrees F until they are fork tender.

Roasted Sweet Potatos. — Don’t forget to check on these babies!

Step 2: Mix the dressing

For the dressing, combine some olive oil, lime juice, lime zest, minced garlic, maple syrup, chili powder, chipotle chili powder, sea salt, and pepper to taste in a mason jar.

Lime dressing in a mason jar. — Make sure the oil is emulsified

Cover the jar and shake it until well combined. If you have one, you can also use a small, hand-held blender to emulsify it more thoroughly.

Step 3: Assemble the salad

Add the sweet potatoes to a large mixing bowl along with the black beans, red onion, bell peppers, corn, pumpkin seeds, and cilantro.

Chopped Pepper, Cilantro, Onions, Corn, Black Beans, and Pumpkin Seeds in a Bowl. — Keep the veggies a similar size

Step 4: Add the dressing

Toss the salad together with the dressing, tasting and adjusting seasonings as needed. You can serve the salad immediately at room temperature, or chill it for a few hours to allow the flavors time to meld together. Happy eating!

If you have questions about making this roasted sweet potato salad, check out our FAQs or leave a comment down below!

🥗 What to serve with sweet potato salad

The toasty and slightly charred flavors of roasted sweet potato salad make it a perfect choice for summer backyard get-togethers. Serve it alongside other barbecue staples like these:

Vegan elotes: Mexican-style corn on the cob made plant-based.
Marinated tofu: A great option for throwing on the grill.
Air fryer zucchini: Also great on the grill!
Macaroni salad: What would a barbecue be without a bowl of macaroni salad?
Jackfruit carnitas: Packed with citrus, herbaceous, and meaty flavors and textures.
Tostadas: A build-your-own snack that everyone loves!

Don’t forget to top your sweet potato salad with extra garnishes like avocado slices, crumbled queso fresco or cotija cheese, or toasted seeds and nuts. You can also pair it with a 4 bean salad for a protein-packed spread.

🌡️ Storage

If you end up with leftovers or want to make the sweet potato salad in advance, follow these storage tips:

Fridge: Store roasted sweet potato salad in an airtight container for up to 4-5 days in the fridge.
Freezer: We don’t recommend freezing this recipe because the texture and flavor will change too much once it thaws.
Prep ahead: You can roast the sweet potatoes, chop the vegetables, and mix the dressing a few days ahead of time. Keep them separated in the fridge, then combine all salad ingredients just before serving.

♻️ Variations

Greens: For a healthy boost, add chopped spinach, arugula, or kale to the mix.
Cheese: Add a salty and umami flavor boost with your favorite crumbled or cubed vegan cheese. Queso fresco, cotija, or feta are all delicious!
Protein: If you’re looking for more protein, add vegan chicken or tofu.
Spicy: If you want an even spicier salad, use less maple syrup and add in diced serrano peppers or habaneros.
Grains: Bulk your roasted sweet potato salad up with options like white rice, brown rice, bulgar, farro, or quinoa.

🧑‍🍳 Top tips

Cut evenly: Cut the sweet potatoes into similarly sized pieces so they cook evenly.
Don’t overcook: You want the sweet potatoes to be tender, not mushy. Keep an eye on them during the roasting process.
Taste and adjust: Taste and adjust the dressing before mixing it with the rest of the salad. Make it sweeter or spicier based on your preferences.
Mix gently: Be careful when you’re mixing the salad ingredients together. You don’t want the potatoes to fall apart.
Let it sit: Let the salad chill for about 30 minutes before serving it. This will help the flavors meld together.

💬 FAQ

Can I use a different type of potato instead of sweet potato?

While we think sweet potatoes work best in this recipe, you can also use white potatoes. We suggest adding a little more maple syrup to compensate for the loss of sweetness.

Is sweet potato salad gluten-free?

Yes, this roasted sweet potato salad recipe is completely gluten-free as written. However, if you have a serious allergy to gluten, always check your ingredients for potential cross contamination.

How do I know when the sweet potatoes are done?

The best way to tell if sweet potatoes are done is to pierce them with a fork. If the fork easily pierces them, they’re ready to eat!

🍴 More potato recipes

If you enjoyed this roasted sweet potato salad, be sure to check out some more potato-based recipes like these:

Sweet Potato Black Bean Quesadillas: A hearty and gluten-free quesadilla recipe.
Red Skin Mashed Potatoes: A rich, buttery side dish made without dairy.
Papas a la Mexicana: Tender potatoes sautéed with green chiles, tomatoes, onions, and flavorful seasonings.

Note: We’ve updated this post to include new information and helpful tips about the recipe.

Justine Drosdovech

Food writer at Broke Bank Vegan | Website | + posts

Justine Drosdovech is a food writer, photographer, and one of the founders of Broke Bank Vegan. She is a self-taught plant-based chef but uses her healthcare background to craft dishes that are both delicious and nourishing.